Blocked by a wall of horses, Rising MVP swung well wide in the lane and roared home to pull off an 8-1 upset in Thursday’s (April 29) feature at The Meadows, a $12,100 conditioned trot.

Once Aaron Merriman showed Rising MVP racetrack, he still had to deal with the challenge of Mystical Peter, who knifed inside and found a clear path in the Lighting Lane. Rising MVP edged Mystical Peter by a nose in 1:56.1 over a sloppy surface, with Mind Yown Business third.

Bill Daugherty Jr. trains the winner, a six-year-old My MVP-Nutmegs Winner gelding who pushed his career bankroll to $310,073, for Susan Daugherty.

Tony Hall, Dave Palone and Dan Rawlings each collected a pair of victories on the 13-race card.

Live racing at The Meadows continues Friday (April 30), when the 13-race card offers an $8,385.17 carryover in the final-race Super Hi-5. Because Friday is the last day of the current meeting, the Super Hi-5, the Pick-5, the late Pick-4 and the final superfecta of the card will feature mandatory payouts.

(Meadows Standardbred Owners Association)